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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Thai Express vs Wingstop

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    TEThai Express2026 FDDWingstop2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Thai Express

    $494,050 – $532,400

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Wingstop

    $310,400 – $1,048,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Thai Express

    $30,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 30

    Wingstop

    $25,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13

    Royalty · Item 6

    Thai Express

    18%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 38

    Wingstop

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Thai Express discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only Wingstop has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Thai Express

    $494,050 – $532,400
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Wingstop

    $310,400 – $1,048,500
    Total initial investment, excluding real estate
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Thai Express

    $30,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 30

    Wingstop

    $25,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Thai Express

    18%
    Breaching Royalties: for percentage-based royalties, up to 18% of Gross Sales during any period of franchisee breach or default, without advance notice or right to cure; franchisor may instead charge the greater of three times the fixed Royalty fee. Breaching Royalties apply for at least 14 days.
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 38

    Wingstop

    6%
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Thai Express

    4%
    Marketing Fund Contributions may be increased to 4% of Gross Sales only if at least 75% of franchisees in the system at the time vote in favor. — 4%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36

    Wingstop

    $5,000
    Transfer marketing expenditure
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Thai Express

    Not available
    No reviewed outlet counts

    Wingstop

    2,586
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 67
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Thai Express

    Not available
    Only one year reported

    Wingstop

    +660
    Calculated: 1,926 at end of 2023 → 2,586 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Thai Express

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Wingstop

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Thai Express

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Wingstop

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Thai Express

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Wingstop

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    TEThai Express

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    Wingstop
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All Wingstop Restaurants in the U.S. open entire 2025 Measured Period, franchis…
    55 restaurants
    other Systemwide WRI-owned count
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 65
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — WRI-owned Wingstop Restaurants open entire 2025 Measured Period
    $4,038,428
    other WRI-owned highest annual net sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 66
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Wingstop Restaurants open entire 2025 Measured Period
    $1,890,866
    other Franchised median annual net sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 65
    +2 more groups in the full report

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Thai Express vs Wingstop: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Thai Express or Wingstop?
    Thai Express: $494,050 – $532,400 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Wingstop: $310,400 – $1,048,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Wingstop. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Thai Express and Wingstop royalties compare?
    Thai Express: 18% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 38); Wingstop: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Do Thai Express and Wingstop disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Thai Express makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Wingstop has reviewed Item 19 figures for 5 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

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    Full Thai Express report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full Wingstop report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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